Improvement in clasps for harness



F. H. DAHM.

CLASPS FOR HARNESS.

N0.183,646. P ent d Oct.z4,187e.

(fly-A jizl eiziw 2 JAQaQ/M 26 MM.

N. PETERS, PHOTOil'EHOGRAPl-IER. WASHmGTuM o c UNIlITED STATES PATENT Gr mes.

FREDERICK H. DAHM, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

IMPROVEMENT IN CLASPS FOR HARNESS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 183,646, dated October 24, 1876; application filed September 13, 1876.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK H. DAHM, of New York city, county, and State of New York, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Harness-Couplings; and I declare the following to be a full and clear description of the same, which will enable others to make and use my improved harness-couplings.

The object of my invention is to provide for a portable coupling to be used when almost any part of the harness is broken or damaged but more particularly when the traces or the end of a whiffletree is broken.

My invention consists in constructing two plates, by preference of malleableiron, of which the lower plate is provided with a hook, at each end fastened to the lower side, and a spring fastened to the center of the lower side, the ends of said spring overlapping the inner ends of the forementioned hooks. To the upper side of this plate, at or near the ends of the same, are placed projections or sharp points, and through the plate are out two holes at theinner side of said projections, through which set-screws are placed by aid of which the lower plate is held to the upper plate, in which corresponding holes are cut for the recepti n of the screws. The upper plate is arched upward in the middle, and nearly describing a semicircle. At or near the ends are also placed. projections or sharp points, so arranged that the points or projections on this plate come between the beforementioned points or projections on the lower plate.

In the center of and under the center of the arch of the upper plate are placed a number of projections or sharp points.

- In order to describe my invention more fully, I refer to the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification.

Figure 1 is a side view of my improved harness-coupling. Fig. His a plan view of the same, with a part of the upper plate broken away. Fig. Ill is a bottom view ofthe same. Fig. IV represents a plan view of the coupling, in which a damaged whifflletree and a broken trace are inserted. Fig.V is a side view of the coupling uniting a broken chain.

A is the lower part of the coupling R, with the hooks a a at the ends, and the spring 12 fastened to the center. These hooks and spring serve to hold links of a chain securely to the lower plate. 0 c are the projections or sharp points on the lower plate. The object of these projections, as well as of the projections 61 d on the upper plate B, is to hold the end of a broken leather trace, or a broken leather strap of the harness, securely between the said plates, for which purpose the setscrews 0 e are used. The space tormed between the arch f on the upper plate B and the top of plate A will conveniently allow the end of a broken whiffletree to be inserted, (see Fig. IV,) and is held securely therein by aid of the pointed projections g g, fastened to the upper side of the plate A.

Having thus described my invention, I desire to claim A harness-coupling, consisting of the lower plate A, with hooks a a, and spring b, projections 0 and g, and the upper plate B, with arch f, and projections d, both plates adapted to be held together by set-screws e e, substantially as described.

FREDERICK H. DAHM.

Witnesses:

RICHARD GERNER, ANTON O. ORONDAL. 

